SEND in Knowsley
Everything parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) need to know about Knowsley — the Local Offer, EHCP timeliness, tribunal stats, and all 63 schools with their SEN provision.
OFFICIAL LOCAL OFFER
Knowsley's SEND Local Offer
Services, support, education, health and social care for 0–25s with SEND
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Ofsted rating: Knowsley's children's services are currently rated Inadequate. This means Ofsted has concerns about some services for children. It does not directly reflect SEND support, but SEND provision is often scrutinised in separate Area SEND inspections.
Latest DfE data (2024)
Issued within 20 weeks55.2%
National average: 45.9%
Based on 449 new EHCPs issued in 2024.
Councils must issue new EHCPs within 20 weeks of the request. Exceptions exist but many delays don't qualify.
DfE requests data (2024)
Refusal rate29.5%
National: 25.2%
Lower is better. Refused requests can be appealed to the SEND tribunal — and ~98% of cases heard find in the parent's favour.
Appeals against LA decisions
Pupils across all schools in this LA
Live EHCPs maintained (2024/25)
Total EHCPs in force across the LA
2,789
EHCP pupils (rolled up from schools)
7.7% of pupils · Nat avg: 4.8%
1,633
SEN Support (no EHCP)
16.7% of pupils · Nat avg: 13.6%
3,562
SEN Provision in Knowsley
Schools with specialist support
Special schools
Dedicated SEN schools
4
With SEN units
Mainstream schools with a dedicated SEN unit
0
With resourced provision
Specialist places within mainstream schools
3
Primary Needs of EHCP Pupils in Knowsley
DfE data (2024/25)
Most common need in Knowsley
Speech Language & Communication— 29.4% of EHCPs
Speech Language & Communication29.4%
Social Emotional & Mental Health23.8%
Moderate Learning Difficulties7.3%
Severe Learning Difficulties4.8%
Profound & Multiple LD2.5%
Specific Learning Difficulties1.5%
The primary need is the main reason the EHCP was issued. Many children have co-occurring needs. ASD is the most common primary need nationally.
Schools with SEN provision in Knowsley
7 schools — special schools, SEN units, and resourced provision
DATA SOURCES
School-level SEN data: DfE Education Health and Care plans release + GIAS. LA-level stats: DfE EES + HMCTS SENDIST. Local Offer: Knowsley Council. National benchmarks are most-recent published values. Last updated: 20 April 2026.